Silence

I chanced upon a Taiwan drama series entitled "Silence" in QTV 11, one of the Philippine TV channels, about 3 weeks ago. The series got my attention because it was light, truly romantic, and very heartwarming. Unlike the typical Filipino soap where there are extreme characters, complicated plots, and too many highly emotional scenes, "Silence" is a refreshing alternative that's a delight to watch. The scenes and dialogues are just right and perfect for a viewer who is looking for an easy yet meaningful drama show at the end of a stressful day. The musical score is also good. I may not understand the lyrics but the musical arrangement brings to life highlighted scenes that are meant to evoke and communicate key emotions, felt by the characters, to the viewers. The cinematography has its own credits too - the mountain and grassland, the lake beside the "Christmas" house, the small church in a village - all of these aid to bring out the romance and drama.

The main characters are Vic Zhou of "Meteor Garden", and Park Eun Hye of "Jewel in the Palace". Vic Zhou's acting has greatly improved and his dashing look and strong screen presence fits the character of Qi Wei Yi. His eyes and face can express various emotions without much effort. Park Eun Hye's portrayal of the mute but brave Zao Shen Shen was enjoyable to watch. Her innocent face, cheerful aura, and graceful hand movements make you convinced that she's indeed Qi Wei Yi's great love. The more people try to draw these two characters apart, the more they became closer and came to rekindle the innocent love they shared with each other in a country hospital 13 years past. The story is very tender and speaks of the more important things in life beyond material wealth and fame. It's about the many faces of love and relationship - the unconditional love that gives hope and cures pain and sorrow.

The end of the story may appear sad. However, if you take a broader view of the drama, the loss of the main character positively transformed the lives of those around him - his depressed mother, his scheming father, the boy who wanted to learn how to swim, the workers of their company, his greatest love Zao Shen Shen, and himself.